Tournaments

2017 ITTF-Panam Championships

Status justified, top two Brazilians reach final

17 Sep 2017

Brazil’s Hugo Calderano and Thiago Monteiro, the respective top two seeds in the Men’s Singles event at the 2017 Pan American Championships in Cartagena de Indias duly justified their exalted status on Sunday 17th September, to reserve their place in the final.

Both recorded impressive results at the quarter and semi-final stages, no great moments of drama, no seven games thrillers.

Thiago Monteiro beat Marcos Madrid to book his place in the Men's Singles final (Photo: Carlos Salamanca)

The round of the last eight negotiated, the good form continued as straight games wins were recorded; Hugo Calderano beat Argentina’s Horacio Cifuentes, the no.,13 seed (11-7, 11-9, 11-7, 11-5); Thiago Monteiro ended the progress of Mexico’s Marcos Madrid, the no.3 seed (11-5, 11-7, 11-9, 11-6).

Gold and silver guaranteed in the Men’s Singles event for Brazil; in the Men’s Doubles, a further medal is assured, the colour unknown.

Vitor Ishiy and Eric Jouti, the top seeds, booked their place in the final courtesy of a penultimate round success against Paraguay’s Marcelo Aguirre and Axel Gavilan, the no.14 seeds (6-11, 11-6, 11-5, 12-10); a partnership, who at the quarter-final stage, had caused an upset of note. They beat Chile’s Gustavo Gomez and Juan Lamadrid, the no.4 seeds (11-8, 11-9, 11-2).

Likewise, in the opposite half of the draw a surprise pair reached the semi-final round; Alberto Miño in harness with Ecuadorian colleague, Emilian Riofrio, the no.6 seeds, ousted Argentina’s Gaston Alton and Horacio Cifuentes in a dramatic five games quarter-final duel determined by the very narrowest of margins (11-9, 11-6, 7-11, 7-11, 13-11).

An unexpected success for the Ecuadorians but there was to be no further progress; at the semi-final stage they were beaten by Jorge Campos and Andy Pereira, the no.2 seeds (11-7, 11-9, 11-3).

The Men’s Doubles and Men’s Singles finals will be played later in the day.